The category of recognitions and congratulations mainly makes public the original recognition certificates and corroborating congratulatory letters written by dharma kings, rinpoches, and eminent monastics in the world of Buddhism today to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu Holiest Tathagata. This category also contains brief introductions to these dharma kings, regent dharma kings, rinpoches, and eminent monastics. H.H. Mahavairocana Dharma King Zunsheng has recognized the identity of and has made written predictions about H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, who is an incarnation of the primordial Buddha. The Buddha name of the third Dorje Chang Buddha is H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu.

In 2006, the publisher distributed some of the initial manuscripts of this book about the accomplishments of H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu. After famous great dharma kings and rinpoches of the highest order in the world read that initial manuscript, all of them were very moved and astounded. They wondered what being of holy virtue has descended into this world and how such a being is able to manifest the pinnacle of realization not manifested by anyone else in the past few thousand years of Buddhist history.

Those dharma kings immediately practiced dharma and entered a meditative state in order to evaluate and affirm the true identity or status of H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu. Thus, the karmic conditions matured for the occurrence of a great event in Buddhism. More than three holy great dharma kings who are incarnations of Buddhas or Mahasattvas and more than ten holy masters issued formal documents recognizing the identity of His Holiness and congratulating Him, thereby exceeding the minimum requirements of the dharma. Those masters of great holiness confirmed that H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu Holiest Tathagata is the incarnation of Dorje Chang Buddha, the master of the Five Buddhas in the five directions and other Buddhas. Each of those masters of great holiness is a famous personage of the highest level in the world today and is an incarnation of a Buddha or Bodhisattva.

Among such masters of great holiness are the following four people: The world-renowned supreme leader of the Sakya sect, H.H. Great Vehicle Dharma King Sakya Trizin, who is a true nirmanakaya of Manjushri Bodhisattva; H.H. Dharma King Omniscience Jamyang Lungdok Gyaltsen, also known as Lama Achuk. His Holiness is the incarnation of Venerable Longsal Nyingpo, who was one of the twenty-five great disciples of Guru Padmasambhava; H.H. Dharma King Mighty Lion Renzeng Nima, who is the incarnation of King Gesar; and H.E. Master Urgyen Xirao Woxiu, who is the incarnation of Urgyen Lingpa, an outstanding disciple of Guru Padmasambhava. This master of Tibetan esoteric Buddhism is known as an extremely holy being in modern Tibet who possesses great supernatural powers.

Why are we publishing in this category written recognitions and congratulations showing the identity of H.H. Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu Holiest Tathagata as being the third incarnation of Dorje Chang Buddha and the second incarnation of the holy Venerable Vimalakirti? It is because this is in conformity with the rules and system of esoteric Buddhism by which the identity of a reincarnated rinpoche or reincarnated Bodhisattva is affirmed. These dharma rules cannot be changed. Throughout the history of Buddhism, the dharma rules of esoteric Buddhism have required that the true identity of all reincarnated beings of holy virtue, all reincarnated Bodhisattvas, and all reincarnated Buddhas is firmly established only after such identity is recognized by famous holy and eminent people of great virtue. Otherwise, no matter how well the reincarnated person knows the sutras and no matter how high the reincarnated persons level of realization is, he is only one who spreads the dharma of exoteric Buddhism. His true identity has not been conclusively established as the reincarnation of a holy being.

This dharma rule applied even to the highest leader of Tibetan esoteric Buddhism, Guru Padmasambhava, who was called the Second Buddha. His accomplishment in the dharma reached the level of a Buddha. However, he could not establish his identity or status when he first attempted to spread the dharma in Tibet because he did not have a certificate recognizing his identity or status. Thus, he was labeled as a heretic, persecuted, and sent into exile. In order to comply with the dharma rules of Tibetan esoteric Buddhism, Guru Padmasambhava had to return to India. After people of great holiness and virtue affirmed his identity, he returned to Tibet. Only then was he able to establish firmly his identity, introduce esoteric Buddhism to Tibet, spread the dharma, and benefit living beings.

The dharma systems of all main sects of esoteric BuddhismXthe Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, Gelug, Jonang, Kadampa, Chod, etc.Xuse the teachings of the Buddha as their guide to spread the dharma. For generation after generation, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have been reincarnating in order to save living beings. After the identities of such reincarnated persons have been recognized and established with certainty, they are called tulkus or rinpoches. If their status is higher, they are called dharma kings. Dharma kings or great rinpoches who meet the standards laid down in the dharma must recognize which holy being the reincarnated person is in order to determine with certainty the identity of that reincarnated person. Anyone who claims to be the reincarnation of a certain holy and virtuous being yet does not have a certificate issued by a rinpoche of great holiness recognizing that claim is either a heretic or one whose claim is not recognized in Buddhism.

A great Bodhisattva whose status and level of accomplishment are relatively high can recognize the identity of an ordinary Bodhisattva. An ordinary Bodhisattva can also recognize the identity of a Bodhisattva whose status is higher than that of the ordinary Bodhisattva. A Buddha can recognize the identity of a Bodhisattva, and a Bodhisattva can also recognize the identity of a Buddha. Who recognizes whom is not related to ones level of realization or status. However, the dharma requires that the recognition of the identity of a reincarnated person be done by rinpoches who have the qualifications to recognize according to the standards laid out in the dharma. A certificate of recognition with the required signature and seal must be issued after the identity is affirmed. Only then can the true identity of the reincarnated person be established according to the dharma.

For example, there are some rinpoches within Buddhist circles who call themselves Manjushri Bodhisattva, Kuan Yin Bodhisattva, or Guru Padmasambhava. Their disciples also respectfully use one of those names to address their master. However, this is exaggerated praise, groundless boasting, and empty words that cannot substitute for a certificate recognizing someone as a reincarnated rinpoche. According to the dharma rules, such use of Bodhisattva names to extol someone is untenable. It is necessary that famous rinpoches or persons of great holiness and virtue with the qualifications to recognize ones identity determine the identity of a reincarnated person. It is also necessary that such recognition be strictly carried out according to the dharma and that a recognition document be formally issued after the recognition. Additionally, other rinpoches must send congratulatory letters corroborating the recogniztion. With respect to determining the true identity of a reincarnated person according to the dharma, it is best if three holy masters carry out the recognition. There must be at least one holy master who recognizes the identity of the reincarnated person and at least two holy masters who corroborate that recognition for that identification to stand. Any master of holy virtue who carries out the recognition must be a famous great dharma king or at least a regent dharma king or national preceptor. Furthermore, the letters of congratulations corroborating the recognition must be sent by legitimate rinpoches.

Thus, a certain person, lama, or rinpoche may claim that he is the reincarnation of a certain Bodhisattva, or people generally recognize him as the reincarnation of a certain Bodhisattva. However, if masters of holy virtue have not recognized his identity and issued formal recognition documents according to the dharma, and if rinpoches of great holiness have not sent written congratulations corroborating the recognition, then all such claims and general recognition are empty rumors that do not stand no matter how widespread the claim may be. That is because when a being of holy virtue reincarnates from a past lifetime to this present lifetime, his past lifetime must be examined in conformity with the dharma by great dharma kings or great rinpoches who are qualified according to the standards laid out in the dharma. The true prior lifetime of that person of holy virtue must be discerned through the examiners entering a meditative state of enlightenment, which is a totally different dimension. Ones true identity cannot be determined by the worldly ways of discussing and voting, such as when the masses of people, who are not beings of great holiness, elect their representatives. Thus, a persons true identity is not determined by the identity people generally recognize that person as having or the identity people praise that person as having. That is because ordinary people do not have the power to see who the person being recognized really was in his last lifetime. Hence, the identity of someone that common people generally recognize cannot stand in and of itself. Throughout the history of Buddhism to the present day, the rules of esoteric Buddhism have prescribed that the identity of a reincarnated rinpoche is firmly established only when that identity is recognized by authentic and famous great dharma kings or great rinpoches who issue recognition certificates and corroborating letters of congratulations. These recognitions and corroborations must be put down in black and white for all to see.

Well over ten holy masters wrote congratulatory letters to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu Holiest Tathagata certifying or corroborating the recognitions of identity issued by others. Moreover, all of those holy masters are present-day famous dharma kings of great holiness or are great rinpoches. Some of them are as follows: the world-renowned H.H. Dharma King Dodrupchen, who is the true incarnation of Guru Padmasambhava; the world-renowned supreme dharma king of the Nyingma sect, H.H. Dharma King Penor, who is a nirmanakaya of Vajrapani Bodhisattva; the supreme leader of the Jonang sect, H.H. Dharma King Jigme Dorje; the Mindrolling monasteries of the Nyingma sect; H.H. Dharma King Taklung Tsetrul, the Dharma King of the Dorje Drak Monastery; the famous H.H. Dharma King Trulshik, who is the personal master of H.H. the Dalai Lama, the current H.H. Dharma King Dudjom, and H.H. Dharma King Dilgo Khyentse; H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, the Dharma King of Tsharpa branch of the Sakya Order; the Red Jewel Crown Dharma King of the Karma Kagyu sect, H.E. Shamarpa, who is a regent dharma king for the Karmapa; the Orange Jewel Crown Dharma King of the Karma Kagyu sect, H.E. Goshir Gyaltsab, who is the vajra master of and regent dharma king for the Karmapa and who is a National Master; H.E. Xiazhu Qiuyang Rinpoche, who is the incarnation of Patriarch Naropa, the venerable leader of 100,000 dakinis; the great Bodhisattva Tangtong Gyalpo, who is extremely famous in the history of Tibetan esoteric Buddhism, who has limitless merit, and whose accomplishment in the dharma is remarkable; H.E. Dharma King Ngagwang Pedma Namgyal Palzangpo of the Jonang sect; H.E. Mindrolling Khenchen Rinpoche; H.E. Khandro Rinpoche, who is the incarnation of Yeshe Tsogyal; H.E. Dorje Rinzin Rinpoche, a dharma king of great enlightenment who is the incarnation of Unchanging Vajra; H.E. Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, who is the Dharma King of Shechen monasteries of the Nyingma sect; H.E. Dzogchen Dharma King VII; the eastern Tibetan Dharma King, H.E. Renqing Rongbo Barongbo; the Green Jewel Crown Karmapa, H.E. Dharma King Jiezhong; Veneral Junmai Baima Dorje Rinpoche, who is a nirmanakaya of Vajravarahi; Yundeng Jiangcuo Rinpoche, who has been in solitary retreat for many years and who is the incarnation of Patriarch Milarepa; and so on.

Thus, such recognition was completely in accordance with the dharma. Actually, there were more than three holy great dharma kings who are incarnations of Buddhas or Mahasattvas and more than ten holy masters involved in the recognition and corroboration. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu Holiest Tathagata is the first holy being in the history of Buddhism in the human realm to have received that many recognitions and corroborating congratulatory letters from dharma kings of great holiness on such a high level! No other dharma king or great rinpoche in history has received so many of such documents. Because there are so many people of holy virtue who issued recognitions of identity and congratulatory letters, only some of those documents are contained in this first category. They are not entirely arranged according to the relative positions or status of those people of holy virtue.

Based on the certificates of recognition and congratulatory messages issued, everyone will understand that the status and identity of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu were recognized by more than three holy great dharma kings who are incarnations of Buddhas or Mahasattvas as the dharma prescribes. Moreover, more than ten holy masters respectfully confirmed that the Buddha name of His Holiness is H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. They all recognized that the realization of His Holiness is supreme. They also all concluded that the accomplishment His Holiness has manifested is foremost in Buddhist history.